Conceal Reveal
by Netbug009
Summary: In the final weeks of his freshman year, Randy Cunningham faces his greatest failure. For better or worse, he is about the unlock the darkest secrets of Norrisville High, the true history of The Ninja, and... What the juice? Why can Heidi suddenly remember his name?
1. Chapter 1

**Conceal Reveal**

A/N: This is one of those stories I had a strong middle planned for, but no idea how to start it. I hope you guys like this first chapter. And as the summary alluded to, there will be a tiny bit of Randy/Heidi in this somewhere. I've wanted to mess with that pairing and it seemed to fit this story.

* * *

**A NINJA MUST ALWAYS BE**

**AHEAD OF HIS ENEMY,**

**BUT A SHADOW OF HIMSELF.**

When Howard entered Randy's room, his best friend was slumped over a desk, his wide-open eyes reflecting the red glow of the 800 year old book his body was resting on. Howard threw his textbooks on the carpet with a groan and went to try poking his friend awake. "Really, Cunningham?" His index finger edged closer to Randy's shoulder. "When we agreed to get studying for finals over with today, Ninja was _not on the li-"_

The moment Howard's finger touched the cotton of Randy's shirt, the world spun around him. By the time he processed that his best friend had just flipped him over his head, he was lying on his back in the rubble of the wooden desk while listening to Randy apologize. He wasn't sure if Randy was apologizing to him or to Randy's parents, who were yelling from downstairs about the crashing sound.

"...Ouch," was Howard's only reply as Randy helped him up. "Dude, how did you even do that without the suit?"

"I think the Nomicon turns me into The Ninja for like, two seconds if I'm threatened while I'm under. Like, remember those times I sensed you trying to write on my face?"

"You snitch!" The Nomicon growled in response to Howard's accusation, and the boy took several steps back. "S... Seriously though, what the juice were you doing in there? Did something happen?"

"Nah, I just..." Randy rubbed the back of his head, "As totally bruce as fighting giant robots is, I was hoping to actually spend some of my summer vacation _on vacation_. So I've been looking for a way to get an edge against McFist. At least enough to give me a couple weeks of downtime or something. I've been at it for hours and its like I'm pulling teeth."

"You sure you can't, like, read the Nomicon too much and mess up your brain or anything, right?"

"Huh... I hadn't thought of that... I should ask the Nomicon."

"Or," Howard grabbed the book from Randy before he could go back under, "you could just take a break and we could study for finals." The words felt wrong in his mouth. Howard couldn't recall ever being the one to tell Randy they had to focus. It was always, _always_ the other way around. Either Howard was the numbskull or they both were. Then again, maybe Howard was just exagerating the memories for the sake of drama. It wasn't _that_ big a deal.

"Actually, I already finished."

It was a big deal. It was a huge deal. Howard could feel the very fabric of time and space tear apart around them.

"You're joking, right?"

Randy's eyes darted everywhere as his friend glared at him. "Nnnnnope. Already did it."

Howard grabbed his friend by the shoulders, as if he was the only thing keeping Randy Cunningham from regenerating into a complete nerd before his very eyes. "But we always studied for finals together in middle school! It was our only way to survive!" Howard shook his friend by the shoulders. "And this is high school! The stakes are even higher! Gone are the days of nothing but filling in bubbles! We have to write an essay, Cunningham, _an essay! For each class!_" He shook Randy frantically.

Randy's only reply was a shrug, much to Howard's chagrin. "Fine, Cunningham," Howard slit his eyes as he backed towards his books. "You think you're so smart all of a sudden. Well I can totally study for finals without you too, you know."

Randy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, alright."

"My notes will be the _cheese_ and I won't share any of them."

"Oh no," Randy replied flatly, his attention already back on the NinjaNomicon.

He took one of his textbooks at random off the floor. "And just to prove just how anti-wonk my study skills are, I'm going to go all scholarly right here in your room." He plopped down on Randy's beanbag and opened his math book.

"Go for it, Big H," was the last thing out of Randy's mouth before he slumped over.

"Oh sure, fine. You just go be all ninja in your fancy book. Well you know what? I'm a ninja too, Cunningham." Howard did what was probably supposed to be a crane pose but looked more like a pigeon. "When it comes to finals, I'm the totally bruce ninja of focus and concentration."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Hey everyone! As some of you guessed in the reviews, I had some really bad writer's block with this. Thanks for waiting and for all the reviews. They're really what encouraged me to get off my lazy butt and write this. On the bright side, the new episodes gave me some ideas, so the wait wasn't a total loss.

* * *

Five minutes later, the totally bruce ninja of focus and concentration had reached the first boss level in Grave Punchers 5, his math book abandoned on the floor behind his foot.

* * *

**A NINJA MUST ALWAYS BE AHEAD OF HIS ENEMY, BUT A SHADOW OF HIMSELF.**

"What the juice, Nomicon," Randy said, crossing his arms, "I mean, you throw weird mumbo jumbo at me all the time, but at least there's some _variety_." He reread the proverb that had been floating before him for... Randy wasn't totally sure how time worked in the Nomicon versus outside, but it'd been a while. Finally, he grinned. "Ohhhh, I get it now!"

Congratulatory doodles such as dancing ninjas and the words "yes!" and "sweet!" formed around the proverb. "Yeah, yeah, I totally see how it is! I'm such a honking bruce ninja, that this is the only lesson you have left for me! I've already learned everything else!"

There was a pause, as the Nomicon contemplated whether its pupil could truly be that stupid. Then, the celebratory décor was scribbled away with red pen. Randy fell through the floor and out of the Nomicon in a matter of seconds.

"So, is that a yes?" The Nomicon's only reply was to slam shut and growl, its red glow illuminating Randy's face. In fact, the Nomicon was the only thing lighting the room.

10:00pm.

Seriously? Howard was long gone, a note taped to the game controller.

_Didn't wake you because I like my shoulder not-dislocated. See you at school._

_ P.S. DON'T STUDY ALONE AGAIN YOU'LL RUIN OUT FRESHMAN CLASSFACTOR!_

Randy sighed at the all-caps afternote. "DON'T" was underlined five times.

_Great._

* * *

"The Ninja? Not a clue."

_Delete._

"He's clearly a music enthusiast. Did I ever tell you how he saved Princess Tootie after _Bucky here_ nearly annihilated her?"

"I already said I was sorry!"

_Delete._

"Well, his speed is clearly over 40, and his strength is somewhere around lancer class. Not so sure about his HP though... Do you have a calculator?"

_Delete._

_ **Whump.**_

Heidi's head fell to the keyboard of her crimson all-in-one PC. Heidi's room was the organized chaos you'd expect from a creative type such as herself. Her walls were plastered with a mix of boy band posters and old articles she'd written back in middle school before her switch to video reporting. Electronics peppered every bookshelf and countertop, all decorated with something feminine but never pink. Her bed hid under a pile of plush toys that she would never let near a camera, but despite her shame she couldn't bring herself to get rid of a single one of them.

As if the teen reporter needed any more idiocy, her brother chose that moment to barge in.

"Hey! Sis!" Howard shouted. "Mom sent me. You gonna eat or what?" Heidi replied with a growl, and Howard flinched back towards the doorway. "Eesh, tou-_chy!_"

"You do realize this is your fault, right?

"What, Mom's casserole?"

"No, this!" Heidi finessed the keyboard, without removing her glare from Howard, and a video of Julian popped up.

"Maybe," Julian speculated, "he's a ghost, slowly feeding off our souls in exchange for protecting us! Wouldn't that be _cool?!_"

She dragged the clip to the trash with the others and let the trash empty while she ranted. "Ever since your little cameo disaster on my show, I keep getting emails about the Ninja! 'Who's the Ninja?' 'You should figure out who the Ninja is!' 'Did you figure out who the Ninja is yet?' It's all anybody wants the deets on, and getting the deets is _my_ job!"

"Pfffffft, yeah right, like anybody at school is gonna know who the Ninja**AHH!**" Howard flailed out of the room, dodging Heidi's barrage of beanbag animals.

If Howard included Mom's Italian cooking, that was three people trying to kill him today.


End file.
